Histamine, histidine decarboxylase and histamine-N-methyltransferase in brain areas of spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Histamine levels, histidine decarboxylase and histamine-N-methyltransferase activities were determined in various brain areas of young (9-week old) and adult (18-week old) normotensive rats (WKY) and hypertensive rats (SHR). When compared with WKY, histamine levels were increased in the anterior and posterior hypothalamus of young and adult SHR, as well as in the brainstem of young SHR. Histidine decarboxylase activity was unchanged in the posterior hypothalamus and in the medulla oblongata of young and adult SHR as well as in the anterior hypothalamus of young SHR, but it was slightly decreased in the anterior hypothalamus of adult SHR. Histidine decarboxylase activity was enhanced in the cortex-midbrain of young, as well as adult SHR, histamine-N-methyltransferase in the cortex-midbrain of young SHR. The following differences were found between young and adult rats: histamine levels were elevated in the cortex-midbrain of adult WKY and SHR. In the cortex-midbrain and brainstem of adult WKY and SHR histidine decarboxylase activity was also increased, while histamine-N-methyltransferase activity was elevated in the cortex-midbrain of adult WKY. The findings show changes in histamine levels, histidine decarboxylase and histamine-N-methyltransferase activities in SHR and suggest involvement of histaminergic neurons in hypertension. The activity of histaminergic neurons of adult rats seems to be higher than that of young animals.